Using GPS collars to investigate the frequency and behavioural outcomes of intraspecific interactions among carnivores: A case study of male cheetahs in the Maasai Mara, Kenya

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213910
• Publication Date: 2019-04-03T17:28:51Z
• Authors: Femke Broekhuis; Emily K. Madsen; Kosiom Keiwua; David W. Macdonald
• Keywords: Acinonyx jubatus; Dyad; Singleton; Home range; Maasai

Intraspecific interactions between individuals or groups of the same species are an important component population dynamics. Interactions can be static, such as spatial overlap, dynamic based on movements, and mediated through communication, deployment scent marks. their behavioural outcomes difficult to determine, especially for that live at low densities. With use GPS collars we quantify both static male cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) outcomes. The 99% home-ranges males overlapped significantly while there was little overlap 50% home-ranges. Despite this rarely came into close proximity one another, possibly because presence communicated frequent visits marking posts. minimum distance in a dyad ranged from 89m 196m but average 17,145 ± 6,865m 26,367 11,288m. Possible took place more frequently night than by day occurred mostly home-range individual where cores overlapped. After possible encounter stayed each other up 6 hours, which could result territory defence strategy receptive female. We believe encounters singleton 5-male coalition resulted death singleton. Our results give new insights cheetah interactions, help our understanding ecological processes disease transmission.